Apparently, to an American, carrying a gun is more like making a big fashion statement. In other words, it's "in" - I have a gun; therefore, I am Kool.

Stupid Americans.

yeah, it's long been a symbol of power and masculinity going back to revolutionary days, and in the 19th and 20th century wild west imaginary has entered the collective consciousness-all be it, for the main part, an invented history. But there is a divide-geographically, in terms of the desire to control guns, with many states on the East and West side enthusiastic for change. Things will change, it'l just take a lot of time and a lot more deaths before they do. I've just read Steven Pinkers 'The Better Angels of Our Nature: A History of Violence and Humanity', so i'm an optimist.

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I am a lighthouse worn by the weather and the wavesAnd though I'm empty I still warn the sailors on their way

Apparently, to an American, carrying a gun is more like making a big fashion statement. In other words, it's "in" - I have a gun; therefore, I am Kool.

Stupid Americans.

Stupid Brits.

I think what you were going to say was 'a reasonable assumption given association between guns and machismo which is endemic in American culture and society', but then that part of your brain that's full of s**t took over, just like it always does.

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I am a lighthouse worn by the weather and the wavesAnd though I'm empty I still warn the sailors on their way

too all of my American friends on this board,imagine, guns are illegal in the States (of course except for the Police and army forces) .. let's be practical now ... some sick idiot decide to kill a bunch of kids in a local mall or a local school. well, he can still carry a knife but his attempt would end up being much less successful than with a gun or (God forbid, with a rifle).

so Jesse is right when he says, even one life saved means a lot.

sure FFF is farting around when he says 'Brits are stupid' replying to Emma, but the fact is, check out the crime rate in the UK and Canada compared to the States. Guys, this it is really bad ... imagine one of those poor kids that did nothing to deserve that horrible destiny were your own family (God forbid). you would forget about your laws, your this or that, you would be devastated and you would need to live the rest of your life feeling empty and crushed...

Yeah, that's me, always trying to be 'cool' and impress people like you Emma.....

Jesse, you can call for my demise if you like.If you happen to think that's some sort of crime, perhaps you're not as bright as I thought you were............

Am never impressed by guns, dear monster. am impressed by one's knowledge. intellect. manner. down to earth attitude. and all that you know, like Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Einstein etc., but not like the Bushes, Obamas etc. guns turn me off. that teacher had 5 guns. if one was for protection then what were the other ones for? In one of the parties, in fact, she showed her guns off. where is she now? where's her son? who gave the right to that son of hers, that twisted mind, to take the other innocent 20 children out? how many innocents lives will have to sacrifice to come into the right sense that we are just not perfect? how many hundred years have to go before we realize this simple fact?

yes, i won't kill anyone if I had guns but how do I know that? you can say I should own my responsibility but it's easier said than done. what about that Adam boy? he couldn't do it. it's a noble idea but the fact remains, we human beings aren't capable of taking care of ourselves no matter how much we wish for it. everyone's born with good and evil and you don't want to help them by giving them access to lethal weapons like guns, that are specifically designed kill people, animals etc. just take a look at the history of your country and see where it stand as far as gun violations are concerned. not to mention, how many staggering stats you carry as a result of all sorts of things including invading someone else's country.

I'm all for owning guns and want kids to be exposed to them as soon as possible.

They will learn how to respect the weapons early in life.

YOU CANNOT TO BE SERIOUS, SWISH!

That's not how you go on about teaching kids to respect and take responsibilities by giving them guns at an early age. What a crazy thought. Have you watched children these days at all? They are crazy about guns and are obsessed with them. They donít care about the consequences. That's a horrid sign any way you look at it.

The way to teach them is to take them to those families who are suffering from losses because of these gun violations. Take them to rehab centres and show them what drugs can do to them in the end. Take them to ER and show them all the patients who are waiting to die for the bad choices they've made all their life. Show them what alcohol does to people and give them the stats on drunk and drive. The US stat alone should make them think much deeper. Take them to third world countries and let them see how children of same age are orphans and on the verge of dying because they can't even afford one meal a day let alone get any kind of Medicare. Forget about those video games and play stations. If you really want to open their eyes and help them so that they can become responsible knowing the true reality of nature, then that's how to do it. Take them to Afghanistan and show them all those children who are now crippled because of the nonstop bombing and gun fighting. Do you have any idea how many children died since the Iraq invasion? Do yourself a favour and look it up.

I'm all for owning guns and want kids to be exposed to them as soon as possible.

They will learn how to respect the weapons early in life.

YOU CANNOT TO BE SERIOUS, SWISH!

That's not how you go on about teaching kids to respect and take responsibilities by giving them guns at an early age. What a crazy thought. Have you watched children these days at all? They are crazy about guns and are obsessed with them. They donít care about the consequences. That's a horrid sign any way you look at it.

The way to teach them is to take them to those families who are suffering from losses because of these gun violations. Take them to rehab centres and show them what drugs can do to them in the end. Take them to ER and show them all the patients who are waiting to die for the bad choices they've made all their life. Show them what alcohol does to people and give them the stats on drunk and drive. The US stat alone should make them think much deeper. Take them to third world countries and let them see how children of same age are orphans and on the verge of dying because they can't even afford one meal a day let alone get any kind of Medicare. Forget about those video games and play stations. If you really want to open their eyes and help them so that they can become responsible knowing the true reality of nature, then that's how to do it. Take them to Afghanistan and show them all those children who are now crippled because of the nonstop bombing and gun fighting. Do you have any idea how many children died since the Iraq invasion? Do yourself a favour and look it up.

I was raised up with guns as well as most of my friends.We all respected the weapons and acted responsibly.My father bought me new issues of the "Shooters Bible".

I could walk down the street with my rifle past homes and go to the fields, no one gave any notice. I was 12 years old at the time.

None of the kids raised this way would fool around or act silly with the guns, we knew at a very young age how to act responsibly.

The proper upbringing with guns can only go so far but I believe it's the best way.

I like your other suggestions about showing the consequences of guns, what harm they can do.

However this has nothing to do with the third world, Iraq and medicare.